Sugarcane is a tropical grass. Therefore, it is a ratoon crop. As one example, some ratoon crops grow by having new shoots sprout from a plant base so that it can be harvested multiple times, before it is re-planted.
When the sugarcane is planted, or re-planted, portions of mature cane stalk are laid in a furrow in the soil. These portions of stalk are referred to as setts, and they are then covered with soil. Multiple stalks grow from each sett. For instance, in some cases, up to twelve separate stalks grow from one sett. This group of stalks, that grows from a single sett, is referred to as the stool of sugarcane.
Over time, the yield of a given sugarcane field will decrease. This can occur for a variety of reasons. For instance, sugarcane is often harvested using mechanical harvesters. In addition, there are often post-harvesting mechanical operations in which mechanical equipment drives over the harvested sugarcane field. All of these types of operations can cause damage to the field. For example, the setts can be damaged, and the roots of a given stool can be torn from the ground. The yield of a field can decrease over time for other reasons as well.
The discussion above is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.